Ear plate for storage and dispensing containers



May 14, 1957 R. H. RICHMOND EAR PLATE FOR STORAGE AND DISPENSING CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. ROY H. RICHMOND.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent EAR PLATE FOR STORAGE AND DISPENSWG CONTAINERS Roy H. Richmond, Wellsburg, W. Va., assiguor to Eagle Manufacturing (Jornpany, Wellsburg, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Application February 4, 1955, Serial No. 486,145

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-472) This invention is concerned with storage and dispensing containers for inflammable liquids and more specifically with a novel form of ear plate for such containers providing support for the carrying handle, dispensing spout, spout cap and operating mechanism therefor.

$torage and dispensing containers for inflammable liquids of the character under discussion must meet rigid safety and fire underwriters laboratory requirements. The container comprises a body portion, bottom portion and top or breast portion. This latter portion is usually provided with a convex upper surface upon which is mounted the carrying handle, dispensing spout, closure cap for the spout and operating mechanism for the closure cap. For convenience of the user, the handle and operating mechanism are so related that the carrying and dispensing of the liquid can be controlled by one hand of the user. In the case of larger capacity containers, the other hand of the user may be employed to assist in tilting the container during the dispensing operation.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and economical form of ear plate which uniformly and securely positions and attaches to the container the several carrying and operating mechanisms controlling dispensing of the liquid stored in the container.

In the drawings forming part of this disclosure,

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the storage and dispensing container;

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the ear plate of the invention with the related portions of the container shown by dot and dash lines;

Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the ear plate of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 show-s a plan view of the ear plate of Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings the container 1 has atop or breast portion 2 and a pour spout 3 opening into the breast portion. The ear plate indicated generally by reference character 4 is provided with a base portion 5 attached to the breast portion of the container by any suitable means such as spot welding 6 and 7. The base portion 5 is preferably shaped to have a full bearing on the adjacent breast portion 2. One end of the base portion 5 is made concave as at 8 so as to embrace the adjacent side of the pour spout 3 and thus aids in positioning the ear plate relative to the pour spout. At the opposite end of the base portion 5 is an upwardly extending lug 9 to which the carrying handle 10 is attached and also provides vertical support for the trigger member 11 of the spout cap operating mechanism. Adjacent the lug 9, the base is preferably provided with outwardly extending portions 12 through which the spot welds 7 extend providing rigidity to the attachment of the ear plate to the container. Intermediate the ends of the base 5 2,792,159 Patented May 14, 1957 and at each side thereof are upwardly extending ear portions 13 having registering openings 14 therein.

The ear plate 4 may be readily formed by stamping a blank from a fiat sheet and then bending the portions 9 and 13 out of the plane of the blank to produce the shape shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The order of assembly of the ear plate 4 and associated carrying and dispensing mechanism, is to assemble the pour spout 15 upon the breast 2 of the container before the breast 2 is assembled on the container body. The ear plate 4 is then placed upon the breast 2 with the concave portion 8 of the base 5 engaged with the pour spout 15 and spot welds 6 and 7 completed. The suitably shaped strap handle 10 is then engaged with the lug 9 so that portion 16 of the handle engages the breast 2 with flange 17 engaging the outer face of lug 9 and handle portion 18 engages the inner face of lug 9. Spot welds 19, 20 and 21 may thus be completed. The breast 2 may then be suitably assembled on the container. The bell crank 22 may then be assembled on the ear plate by means of a suitable pin 23 passing through the openings 14 in the ear portions 13 and suitable registering openings in one end of the bell crank. The opposite end of the bell crank has a suitable pour spout cap 24 mounted thereon. The handle portion 18 is provided with a slot 25 preferably terminating at or below the top of ear plate lug 9. A trigger arm 11 is passed through slot 25 and pivotally connected to bell crank 22 by means of a suitable pin 26 passing through registering openings in the trigger arm and bell crank.

The carrying handle and spout cap operating mechanism form no part of the present invention. When these parts are made uniform and assembled on the ear plate in the manner described they are spaced relative to the pour spout in such manner as to provide a production set up insuring uniform assembly and operating of the mechanism. The ear plate not only properly positions the several portions of the carrying and cap operating mechanism, but insures adequate support therefore upon the container.

I claim:

1. In a gasoline storage and dispensing container having a pour spout, spout cap, cap operating mechanism and carrying handle, an ear plate for mounting and securing said parts on the container, comprising a base portion conforming to the body of the container, ear members at opposite sides of the base portion intermediate the ends thereof and extending upwardly therefrom providing support for the cap operating mechanism, means between the ear members adjacent one end of the base and outwardly of the ear members adjacent the opposite end of the base for securing the base to the body of the container, and an upstanding lug on the base at one end thereof providing for attachment of opposite ends of the carrying handle.

2. The ear plate as in claim 1 wherein the ear plate base portion opposite the handle attaching lug is made concave so as to engage and brace the base of the pour spout.

3. The ear plate as in claim 1 wherein the handle attaching lug is disposed between the attached portions of the handle so that one portion of the handle bears upon the adjacent portion of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,511 Hansen Oct. 2, 1917 

